


Tomorrow Will Be Kinder

by TheStarrySkiesOfPalaven



Series: And I Will Give You Rest [1]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Dorks in Love, F/F, Fluff, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-15 03:05:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13021935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheStarrySkiesOfPalaven/pseuds/TheStarrySkiesOfPalaven
Summary: It's a typical chilly December afternoon, and Chloe has a small epiphany.





	Tomorrow Will Be Kinder

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vicepoint](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vicepoint/gifts).



> happy birthday morven!!!!! <3 have some future fic based on [this](http://chaseprice.tumblr.com/post/168310147967/chaseprice-hi-artists-not-to-be-demanding-i-love), buddy :3 [art](https://maxcaulfield.tumblr.com/post/168569018788/nyagnificent-today-at-1749-owo-whats-this) by the awesome [max](http://maxcaulfield.tumblr.com)! title from the [awesome and incredibly relevant song of the same name](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhM31_2S5zA)

The doorbell clinked as Chloe entered Sam's, relaxing as the warmth and wonderful aromas of the small establishment hit her. Rachel's title of 'Best vegan diner this side of Portland' was pretty well-earned, in Chloe's opinion.

She took her, Max, and Rachel's usual seat in the corner, waving at Sam herself as she passed; she got a spoon-assisted wave back, causing her to stifle a smirk. Edging into the booth, she let herself fully relax after today's slog at work and leaned her head against the frosted window.

Chloe looked at the clock above the counter, seeing that Max and Rachel's classes had just ended. She pulled out a pen from her pocket and started chewing on it absently, humming a tune as she settled in to wait for her girlfriends.

"Hm hm hmmm, hmmm hm hm hm... hm hmmm, hm hm hmmm hm hmmm... hm hmmm-"

_Ping!_

Chloe broke off her humming at the message tone from her phone. She looked away from the window and rummaged in her jacket pocket for it. Taking it out, she opened her inbox and saw the new message right above mom's unsubtle suggestion from yesterday about the three of them visiting her during winter break.

> **17:37 - Doc Rox**
> 
> Chloe? Do y'all mind if we reschedule tomorrow's appointment for Monday? Got nephew babysitting duty for the weekend...

Chloe gave a breathy chuckle; it was that time of the year, alright.

> **17:38 - Me**
> 
> ill talk to max and rach and get back to u doc
> 
> no worries
> 
> the little hellion's back huh
> 
> **17:40 - Doc Rox**
> 
> Thanks!!
> 
> And he's not a hellion!!!
> 
> Just
> 
> Excitable

Chloe snorted, starting to type back when Sam appeared next to the booth, giving Chloe a knowing grin.

"Trouble in paradise?" she asked, gesturing with her pen towards the phone.

Chloe shook her head, smiling. "If you call our therapist's office a paradise, then kinda. How are things, Sam? Any word from the missus?"

"I'm good, but... eh, nothing much. Got a call from her yesterday; said she'd be back from the dig in time for Christmas, but--" she trailed off, sighing. "It's not the first time she's run into trouble."

"Hah, I know what it's like being a trouble magnet. You get an answer about your project yet? Mike's been gushing about it at work."

Sam snorted. "At this rate I'll have to get the answer from the publishers' wills after they die! But anyway, you're not here to listen to an hour-long rant; you gonna order, or are you waiting for your other halves?" she asked, tapping her notepad with her pen.

"Waiting."

"Gotcha," Sam said, going off to do another order.

Chloe returned to her absent pen chewing, letting her thoughts wander again as she gazed out the window.

She thought back to mom's message from yesterday; fitting in a visit would take some work, but it wasn't impossible. And... well, as bitter as Chloe still was over everything that happened in the Price home since 2008, she _did_ miss seeing her mom happy. The divorce was finalized a mere two weeks ago, and the tentative texts she was sending Chloe were, dare she say, hopeful.

That inevitably led her thoughts to _him_ ; the parasite who invaded her home and set up his filthy nest there and the sneers and fear and fists and her mom ignoring everything and the moment of sheer triumph when Chloe finally managed to serve him a domestic restraining order after _five fucking years--_

_"What did you say, you ungrateful little-"_

_"Take it, read it, and choke on it!" Chloe said, shoving the piece of paper into his hands. "You touch me again, talk to me again, hell, even breathe in my direction again, and it's a criminal violation, fucker! The fucking state of Oregon says so!"_

_Chloe turned towards at her frozen mother, breathing heavily and beyond grateful that Max and Rachel insisted on being there with her._

_"Next few weeks are gonna be me slowly packing my stuff and moving out. Start keeping him on a leash unless you wanna lose your boytoy for good."_

_"But-- Chloe, you can't just leave! This is your home!"_

_Chloe couldn't look at her. "This isn't my home, mom; not if_ he _is in it. I told you that once, and-- and you chose him, and kept choosing him every single time he-- " she cut herself off, trying not to let the years of backed up frustrated tears loose. "I can't stay here anymore. The only way I'll ever step foot in here again is if he's gone."_

_With that said, she headed upstairs with the suitcases she brought, her angels beside her. She opened the door to her room--_

_\--Plop! Plop!_

Chloe was startled again by another message. Having her mood soured by her memories, she scowled at the phone as she picked it up.

The scowl quickly cleared as she saw it was a discord message from Max.

> **nyagnificent - Today at 17:49**
> 
> owo what's this?
> 
> **maximum gay - Today at 17:49**
> 
> @chloerine If you're the feudal lord, and I'm the handmaiden... then who's driving the carriage? :thinking:

Chloe blinked, then snorted; another cryptic meme, no doubt.

 _God_ , she loved those nerds.

Suddenly, another message from Rachel showed up. 

> **nyagnificent - Today at 17:50**
> 
> we interrupt your regularly scheduled memes to ask you if you're at sam's yet?
> 
> **chloerine - Today at 17:51**
> 
> yeah, i'm in our spot
> 
> waiting for u nerds
> 
> **maximum gay - Today at 17:52**
> 
> Wow... pot, kettle much?
> 
> **chloerine - Today at 17:52**
> 
> i do crave a kettle of pot now that u mention it...
> 
> **nyagnificent - Today at 17:53**
> 
> pfff
> 
> save that irresistible charm for later
> 
> for now, look outside

Puzzled at the message, Chloe looked outside. Her eyes widened as she saw Max and Rachel standing right outside, wearing absolutely _ridiculous_ sweaters reading 'If lost, return to Chloe Price' and giving her the smuggest grins imaginable.

... and then they reached inside a bag Rachel was carrying and pulled out another sweater, this one reading 'I'm Chloe Price'.

Chloe leveled her best exasperated face at them, shaking her head in disbelief. Their answer was to stick out their tongues, put the sweater back inside the bag, and head for the diner's door.

Their laughter as they entered was music to Chloe's ears. They quickly went over to the booth and took their seats next to Chloe, both of them giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey hot pot," Rachel said, winking.

Chloe huffed. "Laugh it up, Rach. You two just _had_ to find something embarrassing for us to wear, huh?"

Max tried not to giggle giddily as Rachel gave Chloe a smug smirk.

Shaking her head fondly, Chloe smiled at them. "How was class today?"

"Boooooring!" Rachel lamented. "Everyone's too hyped for winter break to be productive and Max and I are the only ones in the group project pulling any weight!"

"At least we're almost done with it. Good riddance..." Max said, leaning her head back against the booth wall. "How was work, Chloe?"

"Ugh... inventory."

Max and Rachel winced in sympathy. "At least it's Friday, right?" Rachel said, patting Chloe's shoulder.

Chloe nodded, already thinking up plans for the weekend, just the three of them resting at home and--

... oh.

Right.

"Um, right, I forgot. I got some news..." Chloe said, leaning on the table and crossing her arms over it. "Got a message from mom yesterday. Asked us to visit over break."

As she expected, Max's hands flexed as if she wanted to ball them into fists, while Rachel's carefree aura was snuffed out like a candle.

"Like... I know you two don't like talking to her if you can help it but--" she broke off, pursing her lips and sighing. "I wanna see her. I've thought of going to see her ever since I heard the divorce was finalized, but-- well, I talked myself out of it every time. I-- it's just..."

Rachel scooted closer to Chloe to wrap her arm around her shoulder. She took Chloe's hand and lifted it up to place a gentle kiss on it. "I know."

Max took Chloe's other hand into her own, squeezing gently. "You know we're here for you whatever you decide, you know that?"

Chloe breathed deeply, nodding a few times. She squeezed their hands back.

"How about we, uh... talk about it later tonight?" Max said, looking at them both. "What d'you say?"

"... yeah. I'd like that."

Rachel just nodded quietly.

A few moments passed before a quiet throat clearing was heard. The trio looked up to see Sam sheepishly standing there tapping her notepad.

"Sorry to interrupt, but... are you gonna order something?"

"Right, um... do some tacos sound ok?" Rachel asked her girlfriends.

"Yeah... it's been a while."

"Mhm. Sounds good."

"Usual?" Sam asked. At their nods, she wrote on her notepad and started walking away. "Three mushroom tacos, coming up."

Chloe sighed, leaning back again and starting to chew on her pen once more.

Rachel noticed it and smiled knowingly. "Chloe... where did you get that?"

"The pen? Uh... work?"

"And did you just happen to take that pen when nobody was looking?"

Chloe batted her eyelashes innocently and grinned at Rachel. "Why, Officer Amber... do I need a lawyer?"

Rachel rolled her eyes and grabbed Chloe's beanie, pulling it over Chloe's eyes in retaliation. Chloe laughed hard, not making any effort to right it.

Suddenly, Chloe heard some quick shuffling and recognized it just in time to hear the signature flash and sound of Max's camera going off. She lifted the beanie from her eyes, seeing that Max was already deep in analyzing and admiring the developing photo.

She shared a fond look with Rachel as Max fussed over the photo. After a few seconds of focus, Max smiled and offered the photo to her girlfriends.

Chloe took it and held it between her and Rachel, and--

... oh.

Chloe barely heard Rachel cooing over it and commenting about how the picture should be titled 'The Beauty and the Beaniest', because seeing herself in that picture led her to the startling realization that she was... _happy_.

And it was all because of these two girls: two girls who both changed her life so massively. Two girls who made her horrible days more bearable and her good days ecstatic. Two girls who she wanted to ease the burdens of life for just as they did for her. Two girls who were always beacons of hope and joy in the darkest corners of her mind. Two girls who she loved with all her heart and who, somehow, loved her back; through ups and downs, hope and despair, certainty and doubt, good and bad--

... she was genuinely happy.

"Chloe?"

Chloe blinked at Max's slightly worried voice, shaking herself from her reverie. "What?"

"I asked what you thought of the photo. Do you wanna keep it?"

Chloe looked at the photo, the living proof that her life was, and would always be, worth living.

"Dunno... I _guess_ it's ok," she said as she tucked the photo into her pocket tenderly.

It was Max's turn to pull Chloe's beanie over her eyes.

The laughter that spilled out of all three of them felt like home.


End file.
